Civil Protection Department

When constructing the National civil protection service, the need to create a connection for the activity of forecasting and preventing risks on the one hand and for managing emergencies on the other progressively emerged.

For this reason starting from 1982 a technical-scientific commission was established to give an authoritative opinion on the scientific matters and to direct the risk prevention research. With law no. 225 of 1992, the Commission became the connecting body between the National service and the scientific community. Since 2006, the National commission for forecasting and preventing great risks has been an independent structure with respect to the Department of civil protection, because it is presided over and made up of experts qualified in the subjects of interest for civil protection.

The Operative Committee is, however, the body which ensures the joint management and coordination of the emergency activities. It is convened when the Italy Situation Room becomes a crisis unit and the calamity directly involves the Department of civil protection. Established in 1984, it obtained its current form in 2006. The committee is presided over by the Department head and is made up of representatives of the National system of civil protection.